Machine for manufacturing heat-insulating sheets from flax fiber.



. J. E. LAPPEN. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT INSULATING SHEETS FROMFLAX FIBER. APPLIOATION IILED MAR. 11, 1910 Patented 1\l[ar.2'),1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR.11, 1910.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

2 SEBETS-SHBBT 2.

. UNITED, STATES PATENT orrron.

JAMES E. LAPPEN, OF LE ROY, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO UNION FIBRE COMPANY,OF

WINONA, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT-INSULATING SHEETS FROM FLAX FIBER.

- Le Roy, in the county of Mower, State of Minnesota, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for ManufacturingHeat-Insulating Sheets from F lax Fiber; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a .part ofthis specification, and to the figures and letters of reference markedthereon.

This invention relates to apparatus for producing sheets of fiber forheat insulating purposes, the objects of the invention being to providea machine which will efiectually handle and distribute the fiber in suchmanner as to produce an even distribution and a roper entanglement andadhesion of the bers .with each other in the completed sheet or boardand to perform the necessary steps in a continuous successi'om'whereb'ysheets or boards of an indeterminate length may be produced.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction andcombination and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings- Figure l 'is a longitudinalsection through a-' machine embodying the present improvements, portionsbeing broken away portions of the driving mechanism omitted. Fig. 2- isa vertical section through a portion of the machine to show particularlythe submerging roll and tension roll for the conveyer belt on which thefiber is distributed and given preliminary form.

' Fi s. 3 and 4 are detail sections in vertical embodies in itsconstruction a central rela tively long tank A preferably with its bot-Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed larch 11, 1910. Serial No. 648,73.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

tom walls converging to a" sediment discharge A and havlng a suitablewater inlet A and an overflow outlet, the height of which may becontrolled by an adjustable gate A, whereby the depth of water in thetank may be regulated. Running on suitable rollers B, located inproximity to opposite ends of the tank, and with their upter level andthe discharge end higherthan the entrance end, while the intermediateportions of the belt dips below the water level to a reater or lessdepth as required by the conditions of the fiber being handled or thethickness of the sheet or board to be formed. The intermediate portionof the top reach of the conveyor is preferabl kept submerged by a submering roller suitably journaled in the si e walls of the tank andpreferably having on 'one end of its shaft a sprocket wheel C, Fig. 2,whereby it may be driven, the said roller, if desire being driven by asprocket chain which also serves to impart movement to the conveyerbelt. maintained by a tension roller 0, preferably engaging the innersurface of the lower reach of the belt below the roller C and helddownwardly to give the desired tension by any ordinary belt tighteningmeans, such, for instance, as an adjustable or weighted lever of wellknown arns-traction. To limit the submergence of the intermediateportion of the upper reach of the -c'onveyer belt and to properlysupport the same againstthe pressure exerted b the roller 0 and thetempers to be hereina ter described, a series of rollers c, 0 c 0, 0 0are preferably The tension of the conveyer belt is journaled in thewalls of the tank and exerably each composed of a .series of woodenboxes or blocks d which may be spaced apart-6 or have their operativefaces rounded as shown in Fig. 4:, and a bar or blade J" with .itsforward face inclined atan angle with to force the fibers forwardthrough the press sure .of the boxes'or blocks d',. at the same timesuch forward movement is retardedor the fiber moved rearwardl' by the action of the lip of the blade E, with the result that thefiber'tis moreevenly distributed over the conveyer and rvoidsor thin places filled.The tempers D and roller G arelocated immediately above-thefirstthreerollers 0-, a a, respectively, and above the roller 0 thereisarranged another tamper D, the lower or operative facejoi which isrounded and, as the conveyer 1's,' at this point,'arranged to emer efrom the water in the tank, the tamper 1% outorsremove 1 a part of thewater andsmooth down the fiber on .the conveyer. Above-the rolls-05,0,are still other tampers d, (i preferably having-oppositely inclinedoperatlve faces converging to rounded edges and said tampers operate to,still further smooth. up and-even the fiber sheet or board with respectto its thickness. .All' the tampers ma be conveniently mounted onthelower Yen s of vertical carriers Eywhich, attheir upper-ends, arehung onsuitably driven eccentrics'E and he eccentrics'may be drivennectlonsiwith aprimemover. v i For distributing the fiber to'thel'conveyer belton- :Whlch: it is formed intoa .sheetjor board thereis provided a fiber elevating-and dofiin mechanism preferablysubstantially asjfo owsi At the entrance end of the maehine' 'a' hopperFxis mg an inclined bottom-or wall f down-which toothed elevatingxconveyin belt Gjforming' one'yw'all of the opper an :guided'on roll- At'an'int'ermediate point in the length, of

. sheet or board the roll C, before referred to.

preferably operates topress:

over-a small intermediate roller 7 to theupper' surface of a largeforaminous drum by sprocket chains e or other suitable. con-E rovided=for the ;re-' ception of the bulk of. her, said hopperhawf 4 the :fiberwill gravitate into contact with crs: .G'- at top and bottom oftheelevator.-

. thegbelt thoroisprovided: a rotary'retarding doflerIHhaving arms Iadapted to run in proximity to the teeth of-the elevators butin areversedirection, ,soas 1 to break} f mg-up and return tojthe hopper. excessfiber-'01? fiber: which might be carried up in bunches or lumps. Thefiber 'is-dischargedfromthef 1 upper end of the elevatorthrougha. hood Ionto the end of the forming conve erhbefore zjitzitreaches thefirsttamper Dan ,{to assist Pthe discharge of the fiberfIfOm theelevator f and to distributethe' same in a light floccu lent conditiom-asecond 'dofier H is ,pro-L' flvided-in the hood I, ,hThe-arms hof-this'j 'L eo "'dofi'er move inxthe same; direction as the .teethofthe'eleyator-butiat a higher speed 1w thereby'take'theifiber;from-theelevator. handdistribute it iIi-such m'a'nnerthat it will settlejdownuponthe forming conveyer 35 a substantially; uniformmat which is 'oom'frnachine. v V I e GFor' efifective adjustment the' tampers arepreferably adjustably. supported} or con- 'neeted W1 that they may bemade to 'strlke with greater me 'tinually being carried ofi by theforming conveyer, -tamped down and formed into' shape by the tampersandrolls before de- SCI'I ed. Togive shape to the edges of the is,preferably provided with end flanges C (Fig. 2) said flanges alsoserving the important function 0 maintaining the forming conveyer inproper alinement. In proximity to the discharge end of the tank theforming conveyer runs between pressure rolls K, K the upper roll" Kbeing preferably ofrelatively large. diameter and supported inadjustable spring pressed bearings of ordinary construction, said rollsoperate tostill further smooth andv compress the vfiber to thedesiredjthickness and also to squeeze excess-,water from the'fiber. Fromthe forming conveyer the fiber may pass L where remaining water maydrain away through. the peripheral covering of the drum and in thepreferred arrangement the action is assisted by 'a Weighted'roller Mbearing on thedrum at a point in proximity. to the point where the fiberleaves the same, said Qweighted roller being itself supported in a frameof the machine.

, The foramino-us drum L is located immeframe) or hanger M hinged at mto the diately adjacent the discharge end ofthe tank and in positiontoreceive the discharge overthegate A, whereby not only is the foraminousperipher of the drum washed,

.rip'h-eryof the, drum and thereby carried up i contact with-the; under{surface of, the sheet or board to which they will adhere and;

" be carried off of the 'same;-;From the toraminous drum Lthe'sheet orboard of fiber is led oil over {intermediate 'supports'N and i betweenpairs'otipressurerolls 0,1)? fl-The I I pressure rolls are adjustable soas to; comress the felt or sheet to the-desired degree efore it isdeliveredl to'the finishing. a ron I jindicated at 0 i The arrangementothe: ;rollers is such thatthe feltor. sheet'may delivered tothe'finished aproninpractically;

any" condition: 0f- .'dampness-'desired land; the i x The pressure" rollM; before-referred to, 4

gisinounted so :that it 'n axy be *cbnvenien'tly fsw-ung? 'upwandlytoipermiteof-flj-the fiber, 5. 1 hat,- or 'sheetgbei-ng .led; from thefor'aminou's drum to the ssure iigrolls ill starting the eeccentrics sotheir 'operatlng i 100. but-such particles 0 fiber as may be float.ing-in the-water are deposited-on the .pe-

or less pressure entire body of-fiber'pass- 2. In a fiber board or "feltformin mamg on the forming conveye'r. j chine, the-combinationw-ith atank 1 apted here is arranged below the foraminous' to contain liquid,of-an-endless slatted con-. 1

1 drum a suitable water collector and disveyer exposed for the receptionof fiber'.-at

{charge-P and below-thetank A there is ar- .a point above the liquid,--tampers, and 8,

ranged af'ch'amber Q, in position to-rec'eive submerging roll operatingon the top 'of the the discharge from the sediment'valve-Af, .fiber andconveyerto press the same below.

- said chamber Q itself having an outlet openthe surface of the liquid.at a point inter-q I ing adapted to be closed by a suitable valvemediate the length of the conveyer and or door Q; .B arranging achamberQ in means for lifting the conveyer and fiber the position in icated,the continued operaabove the liquid as they approach the. dis F' tionofthe machine need not be interrupted charge end substantially asdescribed. j in order to'discharge sedimentfrom the tank .3. In adiberboardzformin machine, the

- 1 inasmuch as the sedimentmay be allowed. combination with a ves'el aapted to con- T p '15 torun out of the tank into-the chamber, tain =1iuid, of an endless slatted oonveyer and after the sediment valveAis'closed the adapt to receive the fiber at a point above v chamberitself-- may be emptied and the-sedi; the liquid and a submerging rolldepressing I ment collected therefrom. y 1 the conveyer and fiber belowthe "surface of Obviously, any suitableiprime mover maytheliquidatapoint-intermediate the length 20 be employed for driving theseveral'parts of {of the ,conveyer, of reciprocatory tempers '35 themachine, but if the'parts are arranged having irregularoperating facesfor dis I as shown I refer to employ three separate tributmg the fiberto fill holesthat mayoc motors, suc as electric motors, one for ourinothe' fiber boardaor felt, substantially driving the elevator and oneof'thedofiers as described.- p

.25 while a second motor drives the tam rs. y! 4. In..a fiber' board orfelt forming ma en whereby they maybe 0 erated fast or siifw, chine, thecombination with a vessel adaptregardless of the rate 0 operation of there- .ed tocontain liquid, of an endless slatted maining portion of themachine. The third conveyor, pressure rolls, a erforatedcylinmotordrives the forming conveyor, subder for transferringthe' ber board fromso merging-and pressure" roll C foraminous thei-conveyer, .to theres'su're rolls, and' a as drum and pressure rolls The roll rolleracting on the fiber. board d1 felt on K need not be a driven roll andthe same isthe perforated cylinder for removing part true offthepressure rollM running=on the' of the water and preventing the fiberboard 'foraminou's drum,'although it is-understood' or felt from-being.pushed'back from the i ise-that these rolls may be driven if desired,pressure .rolls, substantially as described. we Thearrang'ement ofthreeseparate motors .5. In a fiber board or'fe'lt forming mais simply aconvenient arrangement which, chine,.the combination with a vesseladapt:

beradiljmhderflobdwithout;illustra jed tocqntain liquidJ-anendlesslslatte'd con j tion-for permitting the feeding mechanism,veyertherein, a perforated" cylinder adapted 40'1-the conveying belt,=etc, and the tam'pers to receive the fiber board fromthe conveyer,

" o .tobe-drive'n'at differentrelative-speeds so of anoverflow-discharge forfthe vessel Y :jas-Eto- "vary-the". characteri-iofthe "product; position to direct the water -against and butitisobviousthatdifierent'ial gearingofthroughlthe perforated cylinder whereby owell knowncharactermay be employed for. thefine: particles of fibercarried 'oflbyzthe e 45;t his ;purposee'in;lieu of separat e motors ip;water arede'posited'on'the'cylinder'andcar;

.::"'-.=:'In""0perati0n{water s-'supp11ed"continu-; riedltherebyfintocontact with 2it's'- fiber 3 uslytothe tank-and the mattingandflinitial; ib'oardi" a j'com'pres'sion iof. thflfihentakes:placeunder"v "6.- :In a fiberlboardlorbfelt "'foimingim'd water,this-fbeing' i a highly mportant: -fea'-' j'chin'e of the typedescribed, atoothed cyan-:3 ture, especlally 1n'Joperatmg.on'fian iberfjder to distribute the stock, ta mpers acting IN :Hav1ng' thusfdescrlbed :5 my.:1;1nvent 1on,'- rdirectlyion the stock carried by the'conveyer what l'clalmes'new .andfdeslre to-secureby to feltandcondensethe same,- .=a slatted con-- Letters-Paton? th 'UIll dLSt tQQiS ;fyeyer 'for' reoeivinglthe distributed stock,

';:1. In; fibergboard or fel t -fo1"m' 1ngfjma-; .andmans forkeepmganintermediate-Pore H chine, the co 'bination with a'tank'adapted," iion.oi the conveyensubmerged to wet-the Y fl to c'ontain -lirfuid, ofanienfdless slatted con i stock." 1 a I o a veyer mounted on sup ortsto'traveljrom af1' 'L -liria fiber boardor*'-feltiformiiig*ma I ointabove the liqu1 to a point be1owrthe chine,--t11 combination with:a'tank, an end v 7 iquidi and thencefto a point abovefthe-liq-r LIesfcQnveyer therein and ,guiding'sup orts 60' hid, means'abov the waterand conveyer'ior ,for f's'npporting both-'thereceiving andgdisdistributing fiber-on the cohveyer in proxF} chargeends of the' conveyerabove-the wa'-" fimity to-one end'ofvthetank'andmeanslior fter level'inthe tank, of meansLfordis'trib- Q f' removin'g-the sheet-'offiberin-proximityto' iuting fiber on the receiving end of the con-' :I 'f'm'the, '0pp0Site end ofjthe tank, substantially veyer "above the waterlevel, tempers act-q 65 as 'fdescribed; 1 y j ing directly on the stockcarried bythe "on 1'30 gence from the liquid veyer to felt and condensethe same, and means near the receiving end of the conveyer fordepressing and submerging the conveyer and fiber beingcarried on theconveyer toward the dischar e end.

8. Ina fiber board or feIt forming machine, the combination with a tank,an end, less conveyer therein, guiding su ports for supporting thedischarge end 0 the conveyer above the water level in the tank, andmeansfor distributing fiberon the conveyer in proximity to the endthereof oppositethe discharge end,'of a tamper and roller cotiperatingdirectly with the fiber on the conveyer for depressing and s'ubmerging.the fiber at a point intermediate the ends of the conveyer and t-amperscooperating directly with the. fiber on the conveyeis for distributing,evening and pressing the fiber both during and after its emerwhile beingcarried by the conveyer.

' 9. In a fiber board or felt'forming machine, the combination with atank, an endless conveyer therein, rotary supports for opposite ends ofsaid conveyer having their upper surfaces above'the water level, an

' intermediate roller located above the upper reach of the conveyer forcooperating with the fiber on the conveyer to submerge the same atapoint intermediate the ends of the conveyer, and a plurality ofreciprocatory tampers cooperatin with the fiber on the conveyer to even,istribute, and press the same during the forward movement of theconveyer.

10. In a fiber board or felt forming machine, the combination with atank, anendless conveyer therein, supports for opposite ends of theconveyer, a roller above the upper reach of the conveyer intermediatethe ends of the same andhavin its lower surface below the water level inthe tank, reciprocatory tampers located above the upper reach of theconveyer, and supports for the upper reach of the conveyer located belowthe tampers, substantially as described.

11. In a fiber board or felt vforming machine, the combination with atank, an endless conveyer therein, fiber to one end of said conveyer, aforaminous drum for receiving the fiber from the the fiber fromdescribed.

means for distributing opposite end of the conve r, and an overflowopening for the tank discharging on the foraminous drum below the pointwhere the conveyer is supported thereby, whereby fiber from both thetank discharge and from the deposited on the foraminous drum, and awater supply for the tank, substantially as 12. In a machine of the kinddescribed, the combination with a water containing tank, of an endlessconveyer apron operative to carry the stock from a point below to apointabove the water, and a multiplicity of tampers working above saidconveyer and operative successively on the stock to rogressively reducethe thickness of the fibrous sheet, the fiber engaging edges of saidtampers being inclined to the surface of the stock.

13. I the combination with a water containing tank and an endless openapron operative to carry the stock from a point below to a point abovethe water, rollers overlying the belt at conveyer will be n a machine ofthe kind described,

a point below and at a pointabove the water level, respectively, andtampers operative on the stock carried by the apron between the rollers.

14. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a watercontaining tank, of an endless apron operative to carry" the stock froma (point below to a point above the water, an

a multiplicity of tampers working above said apron andoperative.

successively on the fibrous stock to progresslilvely reduce thethickness of the fibrous s eet.

15. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a watercontaining tank, of an endless apron operative to carry the fibrousstock from a point below toa point above the water, of a tamperoperative above said belt and having its'stock engaging lower edgebeveled backward in respect to the direction of the travel of the stockon said belt, whereby surplus stock will be crowded backward. a

, JAMES E. LAPPENQ Witnesses:

W. D. ABBOTT, AANNABELLE 'Ross.

